As most of you know from the last Vigor, T.I. is shutting down the Stafford plant near year end. Our longtime affiliation with Hou-Texins Association (HTA) is history very soon. For our club, that means some minor changes. The executive board has discussed and debated various changes at three recent meetings and a fourth is planned soon to discuss membership requirements. As it turns out, since 1999 Texins Association Clubs (TAC) has been an independent umbrella organization for ALL 20+ Dallas clubs (including TIAA), so it made sense going forward to become affiliated with TAC. (As such, the TAC logo will be displayed on the next Vigor in the header.) Likewise, the board voted to open our very own bank account locally, so debits and credits can be tabulated and reviewed daily if need be. All adopted changes to date offer value looking to keep the club functioning for a long time into the future, even if the "TI Stafford plant" as we know and remember is sold.

More on upcoming activities:

Tony and Susan Leigh have stepped right up and organized our Spring Event, Snacks & Bingo, to be held April 27 at 6:30 pm in the TI auditorium. It is likely the last time in that location. A colorful flyer that includes super prize pictures and a written narrative of the proceedings is located at the Events at above left. Please read, sign and pay up early. Join us!

Jeanne Brandt, our former Day Trip coordinator, has departed for Georgetown. Read about her successful downsizing in Personal News section of the April/May Vigor that you should have received in early April. Gratefully, Lawson Cook, our club VP, stepped forward and arranged a bus Day Trip on Wednesday May 23rd to the Longhorn Museum in League City with lunch at Red River BBQ. Read the flyer at the Day Trips tab for all details. Daryl Moss, our Vigor writer, volunteered to set up a June Day Trip to the Holocaust Museum. See his flyer, too. WE NEED A VOLUNTEER TO ARRANGE DAY TRIPS!! WE WILL HELP YOU AND TRAIN YOU! I have done it myself a few times, and I can tell you, after the first time it can be fun….

Already we've had two good speakers at our business luncheons. Daryl & Lonnie & Ralph deserve our thanks.

Bob Gruber, our club's senior advisor, has arranged a May 16th speaker from Texas Instruments management. They will be speaking about the Stafford shutdown, timeframe, outlook, etc. Join us and participate in a Q&A.

With the coming plant shutdown comes bulk 'end-of-life' purchase offers to numerous buyers of TI products. So TI is ramping wafer production beginning now in HFAB and I have gone back to (contract) work on a compressed workweek schedule for the foreseeable future. Hence, I missed the last board and much of the business luncheon meetings -- just popped into the March luncheon to eat and run. VP Lawson Cook conducted the board and business meetings in my stead, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart. Secretary Mary Gomez is also back at work at TI on a counter schedule to mine. As you can see, we help each other out, each and every one!

Lucy Salas
832-551-8025 lucy_m_salas@yahoo.com

The Texas Instruments Retiree Club of Houston (TIRET) is chartered under the sponsorship of the Hou-Texins Association (HTA). The primary purpose of the TIRET is to provide a social environment encouraging intra fellowship for TI ex-employees and their spouses residing in the greater Houston area. It functions as a venue for education, recreation, entertainment, and self-improvement for the membership.